The Best Digital Product Platforms in 2024: MadeThis vs Gumroad vs Etsy

When I started looking for the best digital product platforms in 2024, I was overwhelmed. Everyone seemed to be recommending a different option, and most reviews were clearly written by people who had only used one of them. I've now spent meaningful time selling on all three of the major contenders — MadeThis, Gumroad, and Etsy — and I have strong opinions about each.

This comparison is based on real experience, not affiliate conjecture. I'll tell you exactly where each platform excels, where it falls short, and who I'd recommend each one to.

Why the Platform Choice Matters

The platform you choose isn't just an operational decision — it's a strategic one. It determines how you get found, how much you keep per sale, how much control you have over your buyer relationship, and how scalable your business can become.

Getting this wrong cost me time and money early on. I spent months on a platform that took too much of my revenue and gave me no way to contact my own customers. I don't want that for you.

Best Digital Product Platforms in 2024: Etsy

Etsy is the platform most new creators try first because it has built-in traffic. Tens of millions of people visit Etsy every month, and if you can rank in Etsy search, you can make sales without building an audience first.

What I liked:

• Existing audience. People come to Etsy looking to buy.
• Low barrier to entry. Setup takes under an hour.
• Proven category demand. If a product type sells on Etsy, you know the market exists.

What frustrated me:

• The fees compound fast. Etsy takes a listing fee, a transaction fee (6.5%), a payment processing fee, and will push you toward paid ads ("Offsite Ads") that take an additional 12–15% whether you want them or not.
• You don't own the customer relationship. Etsy doesn't give you buyer email addresses. If Etsy changes its algorithm or suspends your shop, you lose everything.
• Heavy competition in popular categories. Notion templates and Canva graphics are saturated. Ranking is harder than it used to be.
• Not built for digital entrepreneurs. Etsy's UX is designed for handmade goods. Digital product delivery works, but it feels bolted on.

Best for: Creators testing a product idea who want traffic without building an audience. Not ideal for building a long-term business.

Best Digital Product Platforms in 2024: Gumroad

Gumroad is a creator-first platform that's simpler and more flexible than Etsy. It's been around for years and has a solid reputation in the creator economy.

What I liked:

• Clean, simple setup. You can have a product live in minutes.
• Built for digital downloads. File delivery is seamless.
• No monthly fee. Pay-as-you-earn model (though the fees are meaningful).
• Follows you're buying from a creator, not a marketplace. More personal feel.

What frustrated me:

• The 10% transaction fee on the free plan is painful. On a $47 product, Gumroad takes $4.70 off the top, plus payment processing. Margins shrink fast.
• Limited customization. Your Gumroad page looks like a Gumroad page. You can't build a real brand presence.
• No built-in AI. You're on your own for product descriptions, marketing, SEO.
• Minimal analytics. Basic views and conversion data, not much deeper.
• Discovery is limited. Gumroad's built-in discovery features are weak compared to Etsy's search.

Best for: Creators who want a quick, no-fuss way to sell a product and don't mind the fees.

Best Digital Product Platforms in 2024: MadeThis

MadeThis is what I use now, and it's the only platform I'd confidently recommend for someone building a long-term digital product business. Here's why.

What stands out:

• AI co-founder built in. MadeThis includes an AI assistant that helps you build products, write copy, and run marketing. This is genuinely useful — not a gimmick. It's like having a business partner who knows digital marketing.
• You own the customer relationship. You get buyer email addresses. You can build a list. You can market to your customers again.
• Lower fees than Gumroad. MadeThis takes less per transaction, which adds up to thousands of dollars a year at volume.
• Full store customization. Your store looks like a real brand, not a generic product listing.
• Product page quality. The checkout flow is clean and conversion-focused.
• Built for digital entrepreneurs. Bundles, upsells, product libraries, order management — all designed for a serious creator business.

What's different:

• Less built-in traffic than Etsy. You're responsible for driving visitors (but unlike Etsy, you keep those relationships).
• Newer platform with a smaller community than Gumroad's established creator base.

Best for: Creators who want to build a real business, not just sell on a marketplace. Anyone who plans to sell more than one product. Anyone who wants AI assistance to grow faster.

The Honest Verdict

Here's how I think about the three platforms:

Start on Etsy if you need to validate a product idea and want to test demand before building your own store. But don't build your whole business there.

Use Gumroad if you want the simplest possible setup and you're okay with the fees. It's a fine starting point.

Move to MadeThis when you're serious. When you want to build a brand, own your customer list, use AI to grow faster, and keep more of every dollar you earn.

I made the switch after eight months on other platforms, and the biggest regret I have is not doing it sooner. The AI co-founder alone has saved me dozens of hours — and the emails I've been able to send to past buyers have generated a second revenue bump I didn't have before.

Ready to see what MadeThis can do for your digital product business? Browse the resources I've put together at StartWithAI Products — tools, templates, and guides to help you launch and grow faster.